1 Corinthians 12 · Verse 14

1 Corinthians 12:14

For the body is not one member, but many.
1 Corinthians 12:14, King James Version

1 Corinthians 12:14 in other translations

BSBFor the body does not consist of one part, but of many.
WEBFor the body is not one member, but many.
ASVFor the body is not one member, but many.
YLTfor also the body is not one member, but many;
DARBYFor also the body is not one member but many.
BBEFor the body is not one part, but a number of parts.
WebsterFor the body is not one member, but many.

What does 1 Corinthians 12:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. Translate, "For the body also." The analogy of the body, not consisting exclusively of one, but of many members, illustrates the mutual dependence of the various members in the one body, the Church. The well-known fable of the belly and the other members, spoken by Menenius Agrippa, to the seceding commons [Livy, 2.32], was probably before Paul's mind, stored as it was with classical literature.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. For the body, etc. The body is made up of many members, which have various offices. So it is in the church. We are to expect the same variety there; and we are not to presume either that all will be alike, or that any member that God placed there will be useless.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 For the body is not one member - The mystical body, the Church, as well as the natural body, is composed of many members.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Christ and his church form one body, as Head and members. Christians become members of this body by baptism. The outward rite is of Divine institution; it is a sign of the new birth, and is called therefore the washing of regeneration, Tit 3:5. But it is by the Spirit, only by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, that we are made members of Christ's body. And by communion with Christ at the Lord's supper, we are…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 →

1 Corinthians 12:14 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAlsoG2532
γὰρgarforG1063
τὸtotheG3588
σῶμαsōmabodyG4983
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔστινestinisG1510
ἓνhenoneG1520
μέλοςmelosmemberG3196
ἀλλὰallabutG235
πολλά.pollamany.G4183

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 12:14

  • 1 Corinthians 12:27-28

    Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:12

    For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

  • Ephesians 4:25

    Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:19

    And if they were all one member, where were the body?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
12,19,27,28; Eph 4:25

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 12:13

    For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:14

    For the body is not one member, but many.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:15

    If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

Read all of 1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pues ni tampoco el cuerpo es un miembro, sino muchos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car aussi le corps n’est pas un seul membre, mais plusieurs.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn auch der Leib ist nicht ein Glied, sondern viele.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nam et corpus non est unum membrum, sed multa.